1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to merchandise packaging and, more particularly to a folding locking end wall assembly for an elongated container.
2. Background Information
Clamshell packaging, blister packaging, and pillow packaging are common packaging types having at least one wall of the packaging body formed from plastic. A pillow pack is a form of packaging with two opposed main walls that are curved away from each other and held in their curved configuration by the configuration of end walls. The overall appearance of the packaging is pillow-shaped thus garnering the name “pillow pack.” When these pillow packs are used to store and display elongated items of merchandise, the retail establishments displaying the packaged merchandise like to hang the packages vertically which causes the merchandise to rest against an end wall of the pillow pack. In order to prevent the end wall from failing and allowing the merchandise to fall out of the packaging, the users of the these elongated pillow packs weld the end wall closed or use a heat seal to secure a locking tab to the body of the pillow pack or to join a pair of tabs. Automobile wiper blades provide an example of elongated items of merchandise that are packaged in this manner. Although the above-described solutions secure the package and prevent end wall failures, the added manufacturing steps consume time, the energy required to close the end wall adds cost, and shipping formed pillow packs prior to filling them requires excessive air to be shipped thus increasing cost.